With so many complete or almost complete shows to listen to, I don't know why you'd listen to this half-show. Band not on point, beyond sloppy. The Eleven, however, is one of those songs that I can listen to anytime anywhere any quality.

The only reasons I can see listening to this are:
1. It's December 20 and you want to listen to a show from that day, no matter the quality.
2. You want to hear the first time they played NSB
3. You want to understand how awful a song can sound when the band first plays it (NSB), knowing what an awesome song it eventually becomes within just a few months.

Other than that, find the road to something else. Or don't leave the page, and listen to this like thousands of other people did and enjoy the time.


This is not more than 2 stars

why even upload something you can barely hear?
terrible.

Great! does the whole show exist?

With the official release, this show went from half lost to mostly found. The set list is as noted above (plus the Lovelight finish), and all now circulate except the Black Peter and the complete Eleven. DaP6 added the complete Mason's, Me & My Uncle, Hard to Handle, Cumberland, Dark Star, St. Stephen, and the complete Lovelight (the official is out of order, to save space; the liner notes are by TC). The SBD was redlined, so there's not a lot of dynamics. This was the middle of a 3-show run, the final run at the original Fillmore (under new management and now marketed as "The New Old Fillmore"). There were several opening bands, so it's just a 45min first set, and a 90min second. Ultimately it's not quite as good as the next night, and not as interesting as the night before, except for the historical angle of having the first Speedway.

First Set. Mason's is just the 2nd one, and still improving. China Cat>Rider, which is solid, was played seven shows in a row at this time - standard in '69, I know. Being a workhorse band is how they got so damned good in the '70s. After a decent M&MU there's a lyrics bungle in High Time, Hard to Handle isn't one of the great, lively versions, and Cumberland is average, if lackluster. Set closer Black Peter DNC or is lost.

Second Set. Dark Star is quickly ethereal. After 9mins it gets interesting. There's a Sputnik jam @10:30, and Phil starts a Feelin' Groovy jam @12:35. But it doesn't take until Bobby joins half a minute later, then struggles while dissolving for a minute. The descent back to the main theme after 17min is delicious. More than a must-hear-once, because it gets better a couple times through. Saint Stephen is just smooth enough to be noted, ticking all the boxes. The first 15 secs or so of The Eleven are lost to a reel flip. The first 35sec on the official are from 12/11, wed to 0: 46 on the SBD (thus missing those 46secs). Ah well, it's the last 2 minutes that are interesting. This is the first New Speedway Boogie, and note that it's only two weeks since the event (Altamont) happened. That's fast service! But then, this is the earliest arrangement, they had just learned it, and it's MHO only for those interested in that historical genesis. Maybe they were going to premiere it the night before, but didn't when Phil was late. Either way it's back to the woodshed for this one. For Lovelight you had to be there. It's very masturbatory, with little actual playing, and Pig's rap would make national social media problems today - I'm not sure most thought it was OK even then.

1st Set:  C
2nd Set: C
Overall = 2½ stars

Highlights:
Saint Stephen - enough to be noted [and probably the lead-in Dark Star]

SOURCES: This source plus Dave's 6 (which has all but Black Peter and a complete Eleven).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grQ8f5oOcY4&feature=youtu.be

-

"for profit exploitation copies"? Yeah, fight the power, dude.

Actually, the only beef I have with that Dave's Picks release is that with the availability of so many shows online official releases have been released just because lost reels are found. I don't think this show is really all that great. It sounds OK on the release, but until the DS > SS > 11 thing it's just shrug-your-shoulders average. The full, 35-minute Lovelight really is the only reason to go there. I think this early New Speedway, with those "harmonies" from Bobby and Phil, sounds absolutely ridiculous.

Thanks to the Internet Archive we have free and open Dead concerts as they intended. Others (see below) use this site to promote for-profit exploitation copies limited to ONLY the FIRST 13,000 buyers.

The missing reels were found and this whole show has been released:

http://www.dead.net/store/daves-picks-store/daves-picks-volume-6-san-francisco-122069-cd-st-louis-2270

Epic Lovelight !! Only worthy of 5***** !! Breakout NSB, also the China/Rider & Eleven jams are on fire :)

[One way or another, this darkness got to give]

Pigpen is on one of his most classic rants when the tape cuts. Anyone have the full version? I'm very interested in the rest of his relationship advice. The other guys in the band must have thought he was hilarious.

An interesting New Speedway Boogie, being the first performance you can tell it's still coming together, but they'd soon get a good hold on the song during the summer of 1970. Always love The Eleven, it's too bad Dark Star and Saint Stephen are cut out though, but I can't complain it's still an excellent recording.

I think New Speedway Boogie is written in relation to the events of Altamont earlier in the month, not Kent State. Good show but would be good to have entire show.

Sure the sound is bad but its a miracle that we even get to hear these shows considering how old they are. We can't complain about how bad the sound quality is. If the Dead sucked cuz they were tripping too hard thats one thing but to complain because the music is skipping or popping is unreasonable.

Lets keep it real and remark on the music.... not the sound quality of 40+ year old reels.

peace brothers!! Not the best performance @ Fillmore 69...

fun show, lots of energy (for the time) on China > Rider, great job on the first NSB, just a little rough around the edges. Lovelight is above average and has a unique rap with some shocking elements!

good show good sound not an extreme stand out show but its 69 and it sounds good so that will do for me ,early china>rider combo is nice to hear

... to understand. First, download this show as well as the Fillmore show (29th). They both purport to be the first acoustic show, because of Bill being late. Im very interested in the band's transistion from the machine-eating psychedlic monster of the late 60's to the sweet/sad acoustic combo of the early 70's. Any ideas? For instance, was Bill actually late to both shows, leading to the same type of acoustic set as a result? And was it actually only serendipidy that led to the acoustic stuff. Naturally it became a mjor part of the trip during 1970 (with the NRPS shows). Also, has anyone else notoced how often NSB is described as a reaction to Kent State? The timeline seems to blow that analysis away...
At any rate, this is WONDERFUL music. Do yourself a favor and git it, right this very second.

Nothing remarkable here. There is what sounds like CD skipping on China Cat. Sound is good but has some tape hiss between songs. High Time gets a little rough to listen to. First known New Speedway Boogie.